How One Company Found A Key To Staff Innovation

Many businesses talk about stirring innovation and tapping ideas from staff. But often, their efforts get sidetracked and they fail to make the most of this critical creative resource.

Employee innovation doesn't arise in a vacuum. Companies need a systematic approach to percolating ideas, combing through the best suggestions, and publicizing achievements.

London-based brand consultant Wolff Olins, which has an office in New York, is dedicated to spearheading ideas from staff. "We're an innovation firm. The ideas come from our talent," said Sam Wilson, a managing director based in New York.

"We don't believe that the oldest or most experienced employee is the best or smartest. A great idea can come from anyone including an intern," Wilson said. Dismantling silos and encouraging staff with different specialties to brainstorm and collaborate are keys to stimulating new ideas, she said.

Nurturing Environment

In New York, the firm invites speakers from companies like blog hosting and social network website Tumblr to run workshops on devising creative solutions to problems. The firm encourages staff to "stay curious and open-minded and immerse themselves in the outside world," Wilson said.

Wolff Olins also makes a concerted effort to target younger staff in their 20s and 30s. "They use and think about technology differently; they've grown up with it and have greater experience with it than more senior staff," Wilson said.

The firm's global staff of about 150 communicates via Yammer, an enterprise social network, which spurs employees to react to colleague's ideas. It allows the firm to "unearth ideas from the collective brain trust," said Wilson.

Even its weekly happy hour transcends consuming snacks and sharing a brew. Colleagues enjoy each other's company in a less formal environment than a conference room, which can boost collaboration.

Staff suggestions spur unusual activities. After reading about the declining bee population, a couple of London-based staff introduced the Honey Club, a bee-rearing activity on its roof-top garden. They oversaw honey production and then collaborated with the Global Generation youth charity to launch a bee-making nonprofit group.

"It provided in-depth knowledge of what it takes to launch a brand," Wilson said.

The New York staff launched Whtespace, a digital product that promotes interaction among in-house staff. Since it's proven successful, Wolff Olins expanded it to other companies.

The ultimate benefits of drumming up staff ideas: "We have richer solutions to questions we're being asked from clients. And we have a happy and more fulfilled employee base," Wilson said.

But many companies get derailed when they push for staff participation. The major obstacle is corporate culture, says Josh Bernoff, co-author of "Empowered: Unleash Your Employees, Energize Your Customers and Transform your Business." When employees hear a CEO endorse innovation and then see groundbreaking ideas squelched and undermined, they lose interest.

"There has to be a highly visible commitment to innovation with examples, such as, 'Here's how Susie's idea saved us money,'" Bernoff said. To be successful, companies must create an organized approach to generating ideas, sifting out the best ones, acting on them and then telling staff which ones worked, he says.

One way to ignite employee creativity is by providing easy access to technology and social networks. Companies that continually place roadblocks to accessing social media during work hours discourage staff involvement, says Bernoff. "If marketing staff aren't permitted to access Facebook, are you surprised there's no social media happening at your company?" he asked.

Using software which allows staff to see the ideas, react and improve them heightens participation, Bernoff says. At Chubb Insurance (CB), for example, an underwriter made suggestions about streamlining a process, which led to new business.

Bernoff says companies that want to tap staff-driven innovation can take three specific steps: 1. Create a robust Intranet system where employees can react to suggestions, 2. Establish an organized, simple process to suggest ideas, respond to them in a timely way and promote and reward the best ones, and 3. Recognize the innovators in your ranks to send a message that creative solutions pay off at the company.

"Your best ideas come from people who are closest to customers. It could be from sales, marketing or support people," said Bernoff. They understand how clients can save money, become more efficient or solve a problem that customers hadn't considered previously.

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